The gas thread just reminded me that Secrets of Oil is on Modern Marvels
tonight. It repeats at 1:00AM if you want to record it. (that is three
hours from now)

They say we can save 90 million barrels of oil a day by re-refining used
motor oil.

Just an observation. When I use gasolines listed as being 'Top Tier' gas,
the mileage goes DOWN in my Supra, Scion tC and a Chrysler LHS I had a
year ago.

I usually use Gulf oil ,since they are local and usually less $$$ than the
others in my area. I have always gotten decent MPG with Gulf.

The last two fill ups I did were with Citgo (Yeah, Hugo...) and the
mileage I just calculated from the Scion was 33.56 MPG, the best I have
done yet.

With Shell, my MPG usually goes *DOWN* one or two MPG...

Wagoner May Say GM Lost $2 Billion on Leases in SUV-Value Drop
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aSmnQ59Mz5C0&refer=home

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- Collapsing values of leased sport- utility
vehicles may force General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Officer Rick
Wagoner to announce $2.3 billion in losses tomorrow on top of more than
$1.4 billion that analysts have forecast.

Losses on so-called residual values of the vehicles may also prompt GMAC
LLC, partly owned by GM, to ``significantly'' curtail leasing, said
Lehman Brothers analyst Brian Johnson. Leasing accounts for 28 percent
of the Detroit-based automaker's U.S. sales this year.

Chrysler LLC said it would stop leasing and Ford Motor Co.'s credit unit
last week reported a $2.1 billion pretax writedown for losses on the
transactions, twice what analysts forecast.

``It's surprising how quickly these values have fallen off a cliff,''
said Mirko Mikelic, senior portfolio manager at Fifth Third Asset
Management in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which oversees $22 billion in
assets, including GM bonds.

The automaker's leasing loss may exceed $1 billion, he said. ``Residual
values are going to be the wild card for GM in the quarter.''

The cash burn continues unabated.

Auto lease writedowns drive $2.5B loss at GMAC
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/ANA05/887885585/1142

DETROIT -- GMAC Financial Services said today it swung to a net loss of
$2.48 billion in the second quarter as its auto finance business
cratered on weaknesses in the leasing market. It posted a $293 million
profit in the second quarter of last year.

The company's automotive finance business lost $717 million in the
second quarter. The company said that was largely due to $716 million in
writedowns related to its North American leases. GMAC said the
writedowns were due to the falling residual value of leased trucks and
SUVs. GMAC said that "more than offset" profits from its international
business.

GMAC said sport utility vehicle leases made up $12 billion of its $30
billion North American lease portfolio as of June 30. Trucks made up $6
billion and cars were $12 billion.

New vehicle financing was also down in the second quarter. GMAC signed
$12.4 billion in retail and lease contracts last quarter, compared to
$14.0 billion a year ago.

"We can't force General Motors to produce vehicles they can't sell,"
http://www.westislandchronicle.com/article-cp53658032-Huge-move-forward-CAW-president...

"the union boss said he told GM CEO Rick Wagoner that a bankruptcy
filing was inevitable"
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/buzz-hargrove-i-told-rick-wagoner-its-not-a-question.../

1988 BUICK REGAL GS COLOR BROCHURE - MINT !!!
http://collectorscarauction.com/index.php?act=list&item=1103145335
1985 BUICK SOMERSET COUPE COLOR AD
http://collectorscarauction.com/index.php?act=list&item=1103145343
1991 BUICK PARK AVENUE ULTRA COLOR AD
http://collectorscarauction.com/index.php?act=list&item=1103145384

Usually I get 24 miles to the gallon for stop-and-go city
driving with the '06 Camry LE, but this last tankful I got
28 city. I really babied the accelerator pedal this time
and, of course, have plenty of air in the tires. I had
Shell V-Power premium in the tank this time (for its
exceptional detergent levels), but usually I just put in
a regular grade.

I had Hy-Vee Grocery Store premium in there two tankfuls
back, and thought the car was idling kinda rough sometimes
while stopped, so I thought some Shell V-Power was in
order to help clean out any minute amounts of potential
gunk I might have gotten from the Hy-Vee gas.

When I asked him, the Hy-Vee manager said his gas met
the Top Tier standard, but Hy-Vee is not on the list
of Top Tier stations at toptiergas.com, so I doubt
Hy-Vee is Top Tier.

After a long day at the SEMA auto show, I dragged my buddies over to
see even more cars at the Imperial Palace Hotel's Auto Collections
show floor.

The attraction is known for having one of the largest and best
assortment of classic & historical automobiles. There were obviously
lots of GM cars on the floor including some really nice Pontiacs,
Buicks and Chevrolets.

You can print out a free admission pass at the hotel's site so I
definitely recommend checking it out the next time you're in Vegas.

Here's the picture gallery -
http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Imperial-Palace-Auto-Collection-Las-Vegas-NV/

__
Cheers,
Paul Michaels
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

97 Blazer 2 door, 4.3, 4 spd auto, manual windows, a/c, am/fm/cass
radio.

Several times now, the truck has just shut off while driving. Low
speed, high speed, I can't correlate it to hitting a bump or something
I do.

It always cranks normally and starts back up. One time I saw the
voltmer go full left just before it quit; yet the a/c cab b lower and
radio kept operating.

If the key is turned slowly (with the truck off) first the
blower/radio turn on, then a "click", and the gauges operate/ all the
idiot lights come on briefly.

Battery has been load-tested, cables there checked and cleaned.
Possibly that's still suspect. I know there are relays under the hood
near the firewall, and a couple in the glove box.

Any ideas or thoughts, before this strands me? I hate intermittents!

Your vehicle is thousands of pounds overweight. That is the reason fuel
mileage is lousey, whether on ethanol or gasoline.

Cars have always been overweight since the runabout days. GM believes in
cast iron and steel rather than carbon fibre, aluminium, and titanium.
Their cars suck (gas).

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